WHEN THE SOCIAL GOSPEL COMES ONES WAY Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN) agitated against food aid for poor Americans in the Farm Bill, during the recent House Agricultural Committee debate, accusing the government of stealing “other people’s money.” Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was decimated in both the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill, cutting off nearly 2 million working families, children, and seniors from food assistance. Rep. Fincher invoked the Bible in his defense of these devastating cuts: He stated, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (Rep. Fincher ignores that a large percentage of those on SNAP are currently working, or have recently worked, or will soon work, or are actively looking for work. Others simply cannot work.) Later, Rep. Fincher expanded on his version of Christian social gospel: “The role of citizens, of Christians, of humanity, is to take care of each other, but not for Washington to steal from those in the country and give to others in the country.” While Rep. Fincher interprets food assistance for the needy as “stealing,” he collected a staggering $3.48 million in tax money from 1999 to 2012 for his own farm operations. In 2012 alone, the Congressman was cut a government check for $70,000 direct payment. These kinds of governmental transfers, evidently, are an integral part of Rep. Finchers concept of his role as Christian. Further, to insure continued government support of his financial interests (not to be confused with stealing), Rep. Fincher supported a proposal in the Farm Bill to expand crop insurance by $9 billion over the next 10 years. Apparently, government support of (needy) others is (un-Christian) theft; but, government support for oneself, according to the thinking of Rep. Fincher, is humble acceptance of ordained social gospel. Those who are givers and those who are takers are defined and voted on in the political process. Funny how the meaning of taking care of each other plays out in Congressional voting. For some, an idiosyncratic and self-serving version of the social gospel is a useful tool.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 20:15:30 +0000
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